Nethergarment.



M. W. GILLIS.

NETHERGARMENT.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.21,1912.

Patented Apr. 15, 1913.

M vii; %%J@ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MALCOLM w. GILLIS, or nvans'ron, rnnrivois, ASSIGNOR. TO B. KUPPENHEIMER & 00., or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A GOPARTNERSHIP.

NETHER ARMENT.

Specification oflLetters Patent.

Patented Apr. 15, 1913.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, MALCOLM W. GILLIS,

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention: Figure l is a perspective view of a trousers embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a view partly in top plan view and partly in horizontal section through the waist band of the trousers. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail side elevation of the waist band portion of the trousers. Fig. 4 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation looking at the interior of the side portion of the waist band of the trousers. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail horizontal section of the trousers on the line 55 of Fig. -4E.

The main object of my invention is to provide in the waist band of the garment means whereby slack therein may be taken upwithout puckering said waist band.

A further object of the present invention is to provide in a nether garment such as trousers having an adjustable waist band including, as a part thereof and as a means for taking up slack therein, a belt which is perinanently attached to a part of the trousers, parts in said waist band through which the belt or belt members pass and which remain stationary as said slack is taken up, the parts of the waist band connected with or moved by the belt or belt members being adjusted relatively to said stationary parts.

The invention consists particularly in the provision of the stationary parts in the waist band in combination with means for adjusting the remaining parts relatively thereto, and in the specific details of construction and relative arrangement of parts whereby neatness of appearance and ease of adjustment are readily accomplished.

In carrying out my invention I employ certain features of construction well known in the prior art.

The waist portion of the trousers or other nether garment comprises the front portion 1 and the rear portion 2, as usual. At the waist band the side seams connecting the front and rear portions of the trousers are left open at the top to provide a V-shaped recess 3 at either side of the trousers. At a distance of several inches to the rear of each of said V-shaped recesses 3 a second pair of V-shaped recesses f is provided, the portions of the trousers lying between said recesses 3 and 4 constituting flaps 5, having inner portions 6 providing open passages between said parts through which the respective parts of the strap 8 and the facing 7 connecting the same at its ends with the front portion of the waist band of the trousers are adapted to pass. The strap 8 comprises two port-ions adapted to be oined at the front of the garment by the buckle 9 in a well-known manner. Each of said belt members consists of any suitable material and of one or more plies, one or all of which extend preferably the full length of the belt. Said strap 8 is faced with the material 7 of which the trousers is made. That portion of the belt which is so faced is thicker and heavier than the unfaced portion thereof, the latter being more pliable.

As previously stated each of the straps 8 is secured to the rear edge of the front por tion of the trousers, or in other words, to the front wall of each of the V-shaped recesses 3. The said strap passes through the passage formed in the flap 5-6 and is then passed through a loop 10 secured to the rear wall of the rear recess 4; and is then again passed in the opposite direction through the said passage and thence over the front portion of the waist band of the trousers through belt loops 11 in the usual manner, the respective members 7 being secured together by means of said buckle 9 whereby the slack in the beltis permanently taken up. The said loop 10 is preferably, provided with the anti-friction roller 12 whereby drawing the belt up tightly to take up slack in the waist band is rendered easier in a well-known manner. The unfaced and morepliable portions of the belt members 8 travel over said roller 12 with ease and the omission of the facing from said portions renders the side flaps 5 less bulky than would be the case were the facing continued over said portions 8. The said flap 5 extends higher than the remainder of the waist band portion of the trousers or other garment and the passage formed therein is preferably of a depth equal to the depth of the respective recesses 3 and 4 so that, as the slack is taken up in the belt, the said front edges of the rear portion of the waist band of the trousers and the rear edges of the front portion will be drawn into said passage which is adapted to telescopically receive the same. The V- shaped recesses 4 are preferably deeper than the recesses 3 for the reason that it is desired that the rear portion of the trousers lying rearwardly of said recess 4 and contiguous to the same shall be drawn into the passages between the flap 5 and its lining before the rear edge portions of the front portion of the waist band of the trousers is drawn into the same so that said recess 4 will become entirely closed and invisible to the eye when the waist band of the trousers has been adjusted to fit the person.

It will be obvious that upon drawing up the respective portions of the strap 8 preparatory to securing the same together by means of the buckle 9 the tension on said respective portions 8 will cause the portion of the waist band of the trousers lying rearwardly of the recess 4 to be drawn forward and the portion lying forward of the recesses 3 to be drawn rearward while the flaps 5 retain their normal positions. To so connect belt straps with the front and rear portions of the trousers as to cause the same to move toward each other as the belt straps are drawn tight is old in the art as I am fully aware and my invention resides entirely in the provision of the flaps 5 which remain stationary as said respective parts of the waist-portion of the garment are drawn toward each other and are received therein.

The belt strap 8 and the recesses 3 and 4 provide ample latitude of adjustment for the waist band of the trousers and by providing the portions 5, which are not affected by the movements of the strap 8 and which are higher than and arranged to receive the contiguous portions of the waist band as the slack therein is taken up, all puckering in the waist band due to taking up such slack is entirely obviated.

The trousers so constructed is adapted to be worn without suspenders and to be entirely supported from the waist line of the wearer. It is well-known that trousers so supported draw mostly on the belt at the sides of the body and that, therefore, the greatest support for the trousers should be provided at these points. Purchasers of the trousers who prefer leather or other belts may cut off the straps 8 at their points of juncture with the front portion of the waist band and substitute a leather or other belt which passes completely around the body, as will be obvious. When such leather or similar complete belts are used the same may be passed between the flaps 5 and their linings 6 which afford long loops engaging the belt over a considerable area and afford a better support for the trousers than is usually provided.

I claim as my invention:

Trousers having a waist band comprising a front portion, a rear portion, and side portions, the latter separated from the front and rear portions and being hollow and arranged to telescopically receive the contiguous edge portions of the front and rear portions as slack in said waist band is taken up, a pair of belt straps each secured at one end to the rear edges of the front portion, loops at the ends of the rear portion through which said belt straps pass, the latter passing rearwardly through said side portions, then through said loops and again through said side portions and over the front portion, and coacting means for adjustably securing the other ends of said straps together.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MALCOLM W. GILLIS. Witnesses H. WOLF,

R. IV. Lorz.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

